My Right Foot

September 9, 2007

This weekend I was in Ft. Worth, working with/for the Innocence Project of Texas. This is a non-profit comprised of lawyers, law students, political activists and others who work to free “actual innocents” from prison. I heard about this group, contacted them to volunteer my services should they need them, and they called back. I covered a training seminar for law students (when I wasn’t trying to stay out of the way of the 60 Minutes crew!), and tried to get some photos of the exonorees in attendance.

In a way, this was my first “assignment,” my first real opportunity to use my abilities for a good cause. I just hope that some of the images I’ve captured can be used to promote this project, increase awareness and generate publicity, and raise funds to help fund their project.

On a personal note, it was very convicting to be in a room full of pagan (by their own admission) lawyers speaking so strongly of pursuing justice, and actually doing it. The church could learn something from them…

The reason I posted a photo of my right foot is two-fold. The exonorees were reluctant to sign a model release form (one I borrowed from the Magnum Photography agency), a standard legal document giving me and the IPOT permission to use images of them in various ways. Until I get a signed form, I can’t post any of the photos I took.

But, also, I learned that while “on assignment,” there can be a lot of waiting. I got a taste of this when I shot a wedding a few months ago, but t was reinforced yesterday. Lots of sitting around and waiting…

Hopefully the legal stuff will be cleared up in the next few days, and I can share some of the photos I took, and some of the amazing, touching, heartbreaking, inspiring stories I was privy to on Saturday.

Peace.

Posted in Black and White, DOF, Life, Random, Texas